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  Articles 2012

Coroner Stefan Popper sanctioned the taking of blood samples from the dead to establish alcohol levels, the panel said, and the Police National Computer was used to check the pasts of some victims in an effort to "impugn the reputation of the deceased".

In the Commons, David Cameron delivered an unequivocal apology to the families of the victims and those who survived the disaster and who have campaigned tirelessly to uncover the truth.

More than 450,000 pages of documents examined by the nine-strong panel revealed for the first time the failure of the emergency response to the unfolding tragedy and the shortcomings of ambulance services on the day of the match.

Trevor Hicks of the Hillsborough Families Support Group, who lost his two teenage daughters in the crush, said relatives would now seek the prosecution of those responsible. "The truth is out today, justice starts tomorrow," said Mr Hicks.

The families stood and applauded the panel led by the Rt Rev James Jones, the Bishop of Liverpool, after hearing details of its findings. Panel member Raju Bhatt said the Attorney General, Dominic Grieve, was now in possession of fresh information which was "crying out" to be re-examined.

Mr Cameron said it was now down to Mr Grieve to decide whether to refer the matter of the disputed accidental death inquest verdicts back to the High Court. Mr Grieve said he was now considering the new evidence.

The Prime Minister told MPs the families and survivors had been victims of a "double injustice" for which he was "profoundly sorry". They had endured "the injustice of the appalling events – the failure of the state to protect their loved ones and the indefensible wait to get to the truth. And the injustice of the denigration of the deceased – that they were somehow at fault for their own deaths."

The original inquests imposed a cut-off time of 3.15pm on the day of the match, assuming everyone was dead by that point, and limiting the scope of the investigation to events before that time. But the report concluded this "severely limited examination of the rescue, evacuation and treatment of those that died". This could potentially lead to the overturning of the original verdicts.

PCSO's unusual hobby
by Dolores Cowburn
10 September 12
A bobby pounding the streets of Bradford has an unusual hobby which he hopes could help him reduce anti-social behaviour on his patch. Ryan Lord is a PCSO for Wibsey , Bankfoot and Odsal – but he is also a wrestler who is donning his spandex and getting into the ring at a wrestling show he is holding at the Cedar Court Hotel, Bradford, on Friday.

“The two jobs complement each other and a lot of people know me from this job as a PCSO,” he said.

“As a PCSO you are there for the community and you get to know them and be there for them. Being a wrestler makes them curious and obviously you get a lot of the usual banter when you are wearing spandex.”

In his younger years, the 28-year-old was ranked number one in Britain as a junior wrestler and if Friday’s show is a success, he hopes to eventually run his own training school, the Bradford Wrestling Alliance, which would help youngsters get into wrestling and off the streets. Mr Lord expects 30 of his fellow officers to watch him in action on Friday with professional wrestlers including Paul Harris and Matt Slater.

His inspector has also urged him to try to get funding from cash set aside for community projects from the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Paddle makes such a splash it may be repeated
11 september Plymouth Herald
A FLOATING convoy of canoeists and kayakers took to the water for a 13-mile paddle.

The charity trip, organised by Beacon Park PCSO Dave Harris, was so successful plans are already under way to repeat the event next year.

Funds were being raised for the Blue Lamp Foundation, _created by the late PC David Rathband.

The officer, who was shot and blinded by Northumbria gunman Raoul Moat in 2010, was found dead at his home earlier this year.

The charity helps emergency service staff injured in the line of duty.

To help raise cash for the charity PCSO Harris organised the convoy which went along the River Tamar from the Tamar River Sailing Club in Wolseley Road, St Budeaux, to Calstock and back again – 6.5miles each way.

Participants paid a £10 entry fee and raised sponsorship for taking part. It is estimated they have raised around £600.

Keen canoeist and kayaker PCSO Harris said: "It went really well; we had around 50 people who were raising money for the event and 30 people who turned up on the day.

"They've all said they want to do it again next year so I'm starting the planning for that now.

"It went really well considering the weather conditions took a turn for the worse. It was a lot harder than we thought, so we are all aching a bit now.

"We chose the Blue Lamp Foundation because the founder died this year and I thought it would be appropriate to support the charity in honour of him."

The Truth: Hillsborough cover-up
12 Sept 2012 Daily Mirror
"Devastating truths made far worse not better for the passing of time; the crude 3.15pm cut-off, with no legal, medical or moral justification; parents only hearing today what happened to their children - because people whose job it was to protect them then turned against the victims and the bereaved to protect themselves.

"A monumental cover-up and a sickening campaign of vilification against victims, grieving families, traumatised survivors and the city in shock.

"Do you agree with me that today the names of the 96 and of the Liverpool supporters who were at Hillsborough have been emphatically cleared? And in thanking you and the Home Secretary for supporting the disclosure process I initiated, can I ask you to continue to work with us to right these wrongs and at long last to bring justice for the 96?"

Mr Cameron replied: "I absolutely will continue to work with you on this issue, I think it is right the names of the 96 have been cleared.

"Above all I would like to pay tribute to the work you have put in with huge passion and dedication on this issue. I think it was a brave and right decision to set up the panel, not easy when there have been previous inquiries, previous judicial reviews and the rest of it, but it was undoubtedly the right decision.

"Also, I think what you have done to help people understand what I call the nature of this double injustice - an injustice about the facts, about the dreadful things that happened that were not properly accounted for, but also the injustice of narrative, the injustice of an inaccurate version put around, which as you put it quite rightly has made the passage of time make things worse not better."

Liverpool Walton MP Steve Rotheram, who was at Hillsborough on the day of the disaster and whose constituency is home to Liverpool FC, said: "This is a momentous day. On behalf of the people of Liverpool, can I thank the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition for their statements of support to the families, supporters and to the people of Liverpool.

Victims' champion: Liverpool Walton MP Steve Rotheram reads victims' names during a previous parliamentary debate

"Finally we have the undeniable truth, a truth we know now means many innocent people who could and should have been saved, a truth that unequivocally confirms Liverpool fans were not the cause of the disaster and drink was not a significant factor.

"A truth that both vindicates and validates the 23-year campaign for truth and justice, despite the criticism levelled at us as a self pity city. That we were right, there was a deliberate attempt to shift the blame, to instigate a cover up at the very highest level.

"It is not about retribution, it is about responsibility. Today, we have made history but now we must change history.

"Can I ask the Prime Minister, will you ensure the Government fully co-operates with any potential police investigations into the actions of senior police officers and civil servants involved in the 1989 cover up?

"Will you write personally to the families of all the 96 victims and apologise?

"And most importantly, I urge you to work with the families, and MPs, and the Attorney General so an application may be made to the High Court to quash the original, unsound, accidental death verdicts and to order a fresh coroner's inquest? Only then will justice be seen to be done."

Mr Cameron said: "Let me pay tribute to you, who was there on that dreadful day but also has the home of Liverpool Football Club in your constituency. You have campaigned very long and hard on this issue.

"On your specific points, I will look carefully at your idea of writing to the families, it has been vitally important they have had this report before anybody else. I think it is an extremely good idea.

"Of course the Government will co-operate with any investigation."

Mr Cameron said it was "absolutely essential" for Government papers, including those from Cabinet, to be published in this case - even though ministers have refused to do so over issues of "peace and war".

And he added: "You're right this is about responsibility and it is also about respect. I think that's what people have rightly earned today."

Former home secretary David Blunkett, who is MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, said: "No one in their right mind could have blamed the victims for what happened that afternoon given where they were in the ground and the consequences to them.

"Could I tell you in going forward, one of the lessons which has to come out of this is surely that a cover up can only cause and continue to cause the greatest hurt and harm to those involved and in a democracy, transparency and openness must and always will be the right way forward to get to the truth."

Mr Cameron said: "You make an extremely good point. In holding inquiries and inquests, both of which were held in this case, not enough was done to reveal the full picture and I think that is what this report does."

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes said: "When reports are carried out, someone needs to make sure they are implemented and not left on the table.

"It shouldn't take 23 years, in this case... for victims to be able to put their case to the public and for a proper inquiry to take account of all those who have something to say. We don't do public inquiries and inquests well yet in this country.

"We need to do them much better in the future."

The Prime Minister replied: "This is very important for the people of Liverpool and Merseyside to see the rest of the country understands why the sense of injustice rightly is as strong as it has been for all these years."

Labour MP Louise Ellman (Liverpool Riverside) said: "Can you give us an absolute assurance that in the three key areas of who was responsible for what happened, on whether sufficient lives were saved, and on the critical issue of the inquest, you will keep Parliament informed about the progress that can be made?"

Mr Cameron said: "I can certainly give you that assurance. I think the panel has done an excellent job but to be fair to the panel, they are not a coroner - only the coroner can carry out a proper inquest and I think there is very important evidence here for the Attorney to consider."

The DUP's Ian Paisley (North Antrim) said: "The revelation of the appalling vista has become the atrocious truth but it's a sad fact that remains there is still no effective sanction against an unwise and careless media and that issue still has to be addressed and The Sun newspaper still has to be faced with the lies that it heaped upon the heads of the bereaved."

Mr Cameron said: "Separately, there is the Leveson Inquiry looking at the whole issue of how the press is regulated and how mistakes that are made are properly corrected and I think everybody, including those in the press, recognise the current system isn't working."

Conservative Alec Shelbrooke (Elmet and Rothwell) said: "Can I ask whether you will ask the Attorney General to seek to bring a defamation charge against anybody who was found to spread these vicious lies?"

Mr Cameron said: "I'm sure the Attorney General will listen to what has been said."

Conservative MP Therese Coffey (Suffolk Coastal) said: "I remember being a schoolgirl, being in Liverpool, people were shell shocked by what happened that day and that feeling has continued for many years to come.

"What I would like to say is I am equally shell shocked by the suggestion that 164 statements were doctored by the police, suggesting a level of criminal conspiracy, absolutely shocking.

"I would like to ask you will you be asking the Home Secretary and whoever can make this decision to start putting criminal charges against the people involved?"

Mr Cameron replied: "I know you had a school friend who died on that terrible day and I quite understand why you speak with such power and force about it.

"I think the figures on the police statements are shocking, I think we all need to take time and read the report in full and try to see the full detail of what happened on that day. Any decisions about prosecutions are a matter for relevant authorities but it is shocking reading this."

THAILAND: the land of law and order
policeman is killed by Ferrari sports car in hit-and-run
Daily Mirror, 3 SEP 12
Officers surround luxury estate of energy drink tycoon Chaleo Yoovidhya after dawn incident
A grandson of the creator of the Red Bull energy drink has been arrested after a Ferrari struck and killed a policeman in a hit-and-run incident.

Wichian Klanprasert, 47, was killed during a pre-dawn motorcycle patrol.

His body was dragged down the road for 200 metres before the sports car sped off.

Police in Bangkok followed oil streaks which led them to the luxury gated home of deceased Red Bull energy drink tycoon Chaleo Yoovidhya - one of Thailand's wealthiest men.

Officers searched the property and found a damaged black Ferrari.

They then surrounded the estate and arrested Vorayuth Yoovidhya, the third son of Chalerm Yoovidhya - son of Chaleo.

Vorayuth, known as boss, was taken to a local police station where he was quizzed in connection with the incident in the early hours of Monday morning.

A spokesman for Bangkok Police said: "A policeman is dead. I can't let this stand. If I let this case get away, I'd rather quit.

"If I can't get the actual man in this case, I will resign."

Vorayuth, who is believed to be in his late 20s, belongs to the third generation of the Yoovidhaya family, which was ranked fourth richest in Thailand this year by Forbes magazine with a net worth of 5.4 billion US dollars (£3.4 billion).

Red Bull creator Chaleo passed away in his 80s in March, leaving his heirs a wide range of businesses, including shares in the globally popular energy drink brand, hospitals and property.

The family also co-owns a company that is the sole authorised importer of Ferrari cars in Thailand.

Padiham dad becomes fifth family member to get ASBO
A FATHER has become the fifth member of his family to rack up an ASBO because of his appalling behaviour
12:57pm Monday 3rd September 2012 in Burnley By Peter Magill, Chief reporter
Neighbours’ complaints forced Stuart Murgatroyd and Dawn Hughes to be kicked out of their Padiham home two years ago after a string of loud parties and fighting in the street.

And now Murgatroyd, 41 and four of their 10 children, who have moved to Wickworth Street, Nelson, have either been given full or interim ASBOs, after terrorising people in both Burnley and Pendle.

Identical twin brothers Reece and Dillon Murgatroyd, aged 13, have already been placed under two-year ASBOs by Reedley magistrates because of their behaviour between New Year’s Day and July 5.

JPs have told them they must not cause ‘harassment, alarm or distress’, including abusive and threatening language, swearing or hand gestures, across both boroughs.

The pair have also been ordered not to maliciously throw objects at anyone, vehicle or property, over the same period.

Interim ASBOs have also been secured by Lancashire Police against their sisters Chloe and Demi Murgatroyd, aged 14 and 15 respectively.

The pair will discover on September 24 whether full ASBOs will be made.

Just a week later their father Stuart appeared before the same court and an interim ASBO was also made. He will be in court again on September 19.

Friday 7th September 2012 in News By Stuart Arnold
PRIME Minister David Cameron yesterday described burglars as cowards after a North-East judge sparked controversy by saying a drug-addicted serial thief was courageous.

Judge Peter Bowers’ comment is to be investigated by the Office for Judicial Complaints, which deals with complaints about the personal conduct of judges.

Disciplinary action could follow if a complaint is deemed to be justified and upheld by the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice, although this is thought unlikely.

Published on Friday 7 September 2012 15:32 Leamington Spa Courier
EAGLE-eyed police community support officer Sarah Morton was off duty - and picking up a takeaway - when she saw a wanted burglar walk straight past her.
The quick-thinking Pcso immediately called the police control room on her mobile phone and followed the suspected thief until police arrested him in the Parade.

Staying at a safe distance, she gave updates on the man’s description and movements.

She said: “Unfortunately for him I recognised him straight away.

“I wasn’t in uniform so it was the perfect opportunity to to make sure I was safe, following him at a good distance.”

The pursuit started at 7pm in High Street and it took around half an hour until the man was arrested near McDonald’s in the Parade.

Pcso Morton admits she was impatient for help to arrive but said her training made it easy to keep calm.

She said: “I was thinking, guys, come on - quick. But all my colleagues were brilliant.

“I knew I had to remain focused, and I do that every day when it comes to situations like that.”

The 30-year-old has been a Pcso in south Leamington for the past three years, after working in bar and hotel management since she left school in Stratford.

She had always wanted to join the police and saw becoming a Pcso as a way of seeing if she liked the job.

Community support officers have no powers of arrest but Sarah was delighted she was able to help in bringing a wanted man to justice.

She added: “At the end of the day the crime his was wanted for, burglary, is a force priority, so I wasn’t going to let him just walk on by.

“It sounds sad but I love my job. Warwickshire Police is all about protecting people, and I take that extremely seriously.”

More on Thailand Police killing
Police allegedly tried to cover up the 27-year-old's involvement by arresting a suspect who pretended to be driving the car at the time

They said he had a high alcohol content, an additional charge that if found guilty, would add up to 10 years to his sentence, according to Police Maj. Gen. Anuchai Lekbumrung.

CNN attempts to reach the suspect's attorney were unsuccessful.

The arrest of Vorayud Yoovidhaya -- a member of one of Thailand's richest families -- has sparked a controversy over the nation's justice system.

At first, police allegedly tried to cover up the 27-year-old's involvement by arresting a suspect who pretended to be driving the car at the time. The arrest of the bogus suspect led to the suspension of a police officer.

The officer killed in the crash, Police Sgt. Major Wichien Klanprasert, was responding to a robbery call when his motorcycle was hit by what a witness described as a black sports car early Monday, authorities said.

His cremation is planned for Friday evening, relatives said.

Investigators said they followed the path of leaked oil from the crash scene to the suspect's home.

Police entered his mansion with a search warrant and found his Ferrari, which was wrecked on the front and had deployed air bags, authorities said.

The heir has admitted driving the car and hitting the motorcycle, but he claimed he was suddenly cut off by the bike, according to Lekbumrung.

Vorayuth Yoovidhya has been charged with causing a death with negligence.He was charged with hit-and-run and causing a death with negligence, and was released on a bond of 500,000 baht (About $16,000).

An investigation is under way to determine how fast he was driving, police said.

The suspect's grandfather, Chaleo Yoovidhaya, teamed with an Austrian businessman to create the Red Bull brand and products. His father, Chalerm Yoovidhaya, is an executive with the energy drink company.

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  2012 articles